Betfair Hurdle |
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| Grade 3 Handicap, Newbury 15:35 £155,000 added, 4yo plus, 2m 69y, Class 1  |
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| Saturday 11th February 2017 | |
1 Ballyandy 3/1F
2 Movewiththetimes 6/1
3 Clyne 6/1
4 Song Light 14/1
16 ran Distances: ¾l, 6l, 2l
TIME 3m 57.00s (slow by 9.00s)
Market leaders Ballyandy and Movewiththetimes dominate
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Successful on this card 12 months ago, Ballyandy had been all the rage since the betting opened but Paul Nicholls had made no secret of the regard in which he held Movewiththetimes.
As the race developed in earnest in the straight, their respective jockeys were still in the saddle side by side with the rest of the field hard at work.
Sam Twiston-Davies asked Ballyandy, the strongly-supported 3/1 favourite, for a big jump at the final flight and the six-year-old didn't disappoint and came out of the obstacle with a clear lead.
Movewiththetimes (6/1) stuck to his guns under Barry Geraghty but Twiston-Davies - first jockey to Nicholls - and Ballyandy wouldn't be denied.
The pair were separated by three parts of a length while Clyne (6/1), six lengths adrift, finished best of the rest with Song Light (14/1) running another big race in fourth.
The winner's stablemate Ballyhill had helped to cut out a strong gallop and while Clyne was always prominent, the principals were tucked away in midfield.
The field bunched up a little on the turn to the straight with Movewiththeimes making a move around the outside from the rear of the field to take a prominent position.
Ballyhill soon had his every move covered as the remainder couldn't go with them, the pair settled down to a game of cat and mouse with neither jockey willing to commit first.
Both jockeys asked for more of an effort approaching the last and it was last season's Cheltenham Champion Bumper winner who proved strongest in the finish to spark dreams of further Festival success with the trainer initially identifying the Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle as his target.
"He's been unlucky and hasn't won any of the races we thought he would. What a consolation!" said the successful trainer.
"He'll go to Cheltenham now. He's in the Sky Bet Supreme and the Neptune Novices' Hurdle and we'll see how both races are panning out.
"I don't think he'll have any problem with the trip of the Neptune, so we've got that option if we want it."
Paul Nicholls said of runner-up Movewiththetimes: "He will be some chaser. He is still a bit babyish, but has run a nice race and there are no excuses.
"He was just a bit green as that was his only fourth start over hurdles and he has never been off the bridle before.
"He is just a really nice horse. He is in the Supreme and the Neptune. We will see what the owner wants."
Betfair Hurdle (Handicap) (Grade 3)
£155,000 added, 4yo plus, 2m 69y, Class 1
16 ran
Going: Soft
| Pos | D | Horse SP | Jockey Weight | Trainer | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Ballyandy 3/1f | Sam Twiston-Davies 11-1 |
N A Twiston-Davies | 6 | |
| 2nd | ¾ | Movewiththetimes (IRE) 6/1 | B J Geraghty 11-2 |
P F Nicholls | 6 |
| 3rd | 6 | Clyne 6/1 | Adam Wedge 11-9 |
Evan Williams | 7 |
| 4th | 2 | Song Light 14/1 | Kevin Jones (5) 10-13 |
J W Mullins | 7 |
| 5th | 4½ | Kayf Blanco 25/1 | Kielan Woods 11-2 |
G McPherson | 8 |
| 6th | 1 | Veinard (FR) 16/1 | J W Kennedy 10-6 |
G Elliott | 8 |
| 7th | 4½ | Beltor 20/1 | T J O'Brien 11-1 |
Robert Stephens | 6 |
| 8th | hd | Boite (IRE) 16/1 | Mr Thomas Greatrex (7) 11-8 |
W Greatrex | 7 |
| 9th | 3¼ | Eddiemaurice (IRE) 66/1 | Ian Popham 10-6 |
J L Flint | 6 |
| 10th | 9 | Wait For Me (FR) 8/1 | P J Brennan 11-4 |
P J Hobbs | 7 |
| 11th | nk | William H Bonney (ex5) 15/2 | Wayne Hutchinson 11-3 |
A King | 6 |
| 12th | 5 | De Name Escapes Me (IRE) 14/1 | Aidan Coleman 11-5 |
N Meade | 7 |
| 13th | 2¼ | Zubayr (IRE) 20/1 | Nick Scholfield 11-7 |
P F Nicholls | 5 |
| 14th | 5 | Hargam (FR) 40/1 | Nico de Boinville 11-12 |
N J Henderson | 6 |
| 15th | 1¼ | Ballyhill (FR) 28/1 | Tom Humphries (7) 11-2 |
N A Twiston-Davies | 6 |
| F | Gassin Golf 18/1 | J E Moore 10-13 |
Kerry Lee | 8 |
The Betfair Hurdle – Roll of Honour
YEAR WINNER TRAINER JOCKEY AGE/WEIGHT SP RAN
2016 AGRAPART Nick Williams Lizzie Kelly 05-10-05 16/1 22
2015 VIOLET DANCER Gary Moore Joshua Moore 05-10-09 20/1 23
2014 SPLASH OF GINGE Nigel Twiston-Davies Ryan Hatch 06-10-03 33/1 20
2013 MY TENT OR YOURS Nicky Henderson A P McCoy 06-11-02 5/1F 21
2012 ZARKANDAR Paul Nicholls Ruby Walsh 05-11-01 11/4F 20
2011 RECESSION PROOF John Quinn Dougie Costello 05-10-08 12/1 15
2010 GET ME OUT OF HERE Jonjo O'Neill A P McCoy 06-10-06 6/1 23
2009 Abandoned - Snow
2008 WINGMAN Gary Moore Jamie Moore 06-10-00 14/1 24
2007 HEATHCOTE Gary Moore Jamie Moore 05-10-06 50/1 20
2006 Abandoned - Frost
2005 ESSEX Michael O'Brien IRE Barry Geraghty 05-11-06 4/1F 25
2004 GEOS Nicky Henderson Marcus Foley 09-10-09 16/1 25
2003 SPIRIT LEADER Jessica Harrington IRE Norman Williamson 07-10-00 14/1 27
2002 COPELAND Martin Pipe A P McCoy 07-11-07 13/2 16
2001 LANDING LIGHT Nicky Henderson Mick Fitzgerald 06-10-02 4/1F 20
2000 GEOS Nicky Henderson Mick Fitzgerald 05-11-03 15/2 17
1999 DECOUPAGE Charles Egerton Jimmy McCarthy 07-11-00 6/1 18
1998 SHARPICAL Nicky Henderson Mick Fitzgerald 06-11-01 10/1 14
1997 MAKE A STAND Martin Pipe Chris Maude 06-11-07 6/1 18
1996 SQUIRE SILK Andy Turnell Paul Carberry 07-10-12 13/2 18
1995 MYSILV Charles Egerton Jamie Osborne 05-10-08 9/4F 8
1994 LARGE ACTION Oliver Sherwood Jamie Osborne 06-10-08 9/2 11
1993 KING CREDO Steve Woodman Adrian Maguire 08-10-00 10/1 16
1992 RODEO STAR Nigel Tinkler Graham McCourt 06-10-10 15/2 15
1991 Abandoned - Frost
1990 DEEP SENSATION Josh Gifford Richard Rowe 05-11-03 7/1 17
1989 GREY SALUTE John Jenkins Richard Dunwoody 06-11-05 8/1 10
1988 JAMESMEAD David Elsworth Brendan Powell 07-10-00 11/1 19
1987 NEBLIN Toby Balding Stan Moore 08-10-00 10/1 21
1986 Abandoned – Snow
1985 Abandoned – Snow
1984 RA NOVA Nan Kennedy Paddy Farrell 05-10-06 16/1 26
1983 Abandoned - Snow & Frost
1982 DONEGAL PRINCE Paul Kelleway John Francome 06-10-08 13/1 27
1981 Abandoned – Waterlogged
1980 BOOTLACES David Barons Paul Leach 06-10-09 20/1 21
1979 WITHIN THE LAW Peter Easterby Alan Brown 05-11-04 25/1 28
1978 Abandoned – Frost
1977 TRUE LAD Bill Swainson Tommy Stack 07-10-04 14/1 27
1976 IRISH FASHION Michael Cunningham IRE Ron Barry 05-10-04 16/1 29
1975 TAMMUZ Fulke Walwyn Bill Smith 07-10-13 18/1 28
1974 Abandoned – Waterlogged
1973 INDIANAPOLIS John Sutcliffe snr Jeff King 06-10-06 15/2 26
1972 GOOD REVIEW Jim Dreaper IRE Val O'Brien 06-10-09 8/1 26
1971 CALA MESQUIDA John Sutcliffe snr John Cook 07-10-09 33/1 23
1970 Abandoned - Snow & Frost
1969 Abandoned - Frost
1968 PERSIAN WAR Colin Davies Jimmy Uttley 05-11-13 9/2F 33
1967 HILL HOUSE Ryan Price Josh Gifford 07-10-10 9/1 28
1966 LE VERMONTOIS Ryan Price Josh Gifford 05-11-03 15/2 28
1965 ELAN John Sutcliffe jnr David Nicholson 06-10-07 9/2F 21
1964 ROSYTH Ryan Price Josh Gifford 06-10-02 10/1 24
1963 ROSYTH Ryan Price Josh Gifford 05-10-00 20/1 41
